PASS Scheme (peer assisted student success)

To provide guidance to first year students that can help them to develop for themselves a better understanding of course content and what is required in assessments, good academic skills and effective ways to be successful students.

Success Coaches can draw on their own knowledge and experience of the course or subject area to facilitate other students to develop what it takes to achieve success.

Success Coaches work with first year students in small groups and also provide one-to-one advice by individual arrangement. The small group sessions (one hour) may occur during class (e.g. seminars, workshops, labs, practicals, studios) or during separate timetabled meetings, depending on the subject/course.

Hear from current/past Success Coaches as to why they joined the scheme.

The minimum commitment is two hours per week: one hour for helping with a small-group session; one hour for seeing individual students, plus completing a short online report (five minutes). In areas where additional input from Success Coaches is required (due to class sizes), it may be possible to do an extra one or two hours per week in support of small group sessions.

Success Coaches are paid the London Living Wage. The sessions will commence during October and run throughout the whole academic year until June. In addition, free training is provided.

To qualify as a Success Coach you must be in the second or third year of your undergraduate degree and you need to have a strong academic record and interpersonal qualities to support other students' learning, including clear communication, respect, empathy, friendliness and commitment.

All Success Coaches are required to attend training sessions (2 hours in total). The training includes role and responsibilities, communication skills, group-facilitation skills, and dealing with common issues. Training groups will be held each September. To qualify for training, candidates must be approved by their course leader.

Being a Success Coach gives you the opportunity to improve your CV by gaining valuable work experience while offering you free training and the chance to make some extra money. The experience can build your communication and interpersonal skills and your confidence, as well as enhance your knowledge of your area of study and good academic practice. On completion of the PASS sessions, you will be issued with a certificate of participation and your contribution will be acknowledged on your Higher Education Achievement Report (HEAR).

Please complete the online form to apply to be a Success Coach.

Applications will be checked by Course Leaders and academic mentors who will advise on the selection of those suitably qualified for training as Success Coaches. Attending and passing the training (various sessions held each September) is a condition for becoming a Success Coach.

Applications close on the 7 August.